Tessa – Grassroots Internet Strategyhttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au
Mon, 04 Apr 2016 11:48:22 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1What’s new in WordPress 3.8http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/whats-new-wordpress-3-8/
http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/whats-new-wordpress-3-8/#commentsThu, 30 Jan 2014 03:53:05 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=12268Hot on the heels of WordPress 3.6 and 3.7, another quick-fire WordPress release has happened from the folks at Automattic. In keeping with their promise to put out future releases quickly, WordPress 3.8 brings a load of even more new features to the WordPress core. What’s new? Look & Feel: The main difference that will

Hot on the heels of WordPress 3.6 and 3.7, another quick-fire WordPress release has happened from the folks at Automattic.

In keeping with their promise to put out future releases quickly, WordPress 3.8 brings a load of even more new features to the WordPress core.

What’s new?

Look & Feel: The main difference that will be noticeable to everyone are the big changes to the look and feel of the admin dashboard. The dashboard is more clean, modern, and contrasting. You can even change the colour scheme to suit your tastes! Just go to Users>Profile in the admin dashboard to check them out.

New theme screen: Installed themes are now easier to browse and try out.

New widget screen: It’s now easier to see all the widget areas at once on wider displays. If you’re on a touchscreen, and therefore can’t drag-and-drop, you can tap on a widget to add it.

New default theme: The newest default theme is Twenty Fourteen, a modern magazine-style theme that is a departure from previous default themes.

Don’t forget to back up!

Since version 3.7, WordPress updates are now rolled out automatically. So it’s even more important than ever to make sure you’ve got a foolproof backup system in place.

]]>http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/whats-new-wordpress-3-8/feed/1You need to know about the big change in WordPress 3.7http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/big-change-in-wordpress-3-7/
Mon, 18 Nov 2013 06:11:16 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=12215WordPress has recently been updated to 3.7. *Record screech* Uh… what? But it only just got updated to 3.6! What’s going on?? It’s true, this upgrade has come hot on the heels of WordPress 3.6, which is unusual timing for updates to the core WordPress package. You might have just spent of load of time

It’s true, this upgrade has come hot on the heels of WordPress 3.6, which is unusual timing for updates to the core WordPress package.

You might have just spent of load of time (and possibility money) to get your site up to speed with WordPress 3.6. So it’s understandable if you’re a bit miffed that they went and did another major update again so soon.

But this new update is actually a really good thing. Hear me out.

Never think about upgrading again

The biggest new feature to be introduced with WordPress 3.7 is automatic updates. This means that you will no longer have to go through any rigmarole to update the WordPress core every time an update is released. Instead, it will automagically update itself in the background, leaving you to focus less on the technical mumbo jumbo, and more on your awesome content.

This feature means that the model of backing up and upgrading has changed. Since WordPress will update itself, it has become even more important that you keep regular backups of your site. That way, if something goes wrong with an update, you can have peace of mind.

I would strongly recommend that you install an automatic backup plugin on your WordPress site. There are a few tools out there, and they will back up both the database and files of your WordPress site, ensuring that no data is missed.

A backup solution like Backup Buddy will automatically look after backups for you, so you can just set it up and relax. Backup Buddy isn’t free (it costs $80-$150, depending on how many sites you have), but you should consider that money an investment in your site as you won’t need to pay for another backup or upgrade. Other options are VaultPress and ManageWP (for a monthly or annual fee).

Less focus on updates, more focus on backup.

So here’s the nitty gritty

If you don’t already have a backup plan, get one.

If you already back up your website, think about using an automatic backup plugin.

If you already have an automatic backup plan, go ahead and upgrade to WordPress 3.7, sit back and make yourself a drink. You won’t have to worry about backing up and upgrading ever again!

A special deal

If you need help with this final push into the land of automation, I have a special deal for you. I am offering a backup and upgrade package for $50 per site. For this price, I’ll back up your whole website, then run the upgrade. I will also resolve any issues that may occur with the upgrade, leaving your site ready for you to dive right back into it.

If you need help setting up Backup Buddy to manage automatic backups from now on, I can also help with that! For another $50 per site (plugin price not included), I’ll help you set up Backup Buddy to automatically back you up.

This will be the last upgrade you’ll need to pay someone to do for you: after this it’s all automatic, baby!

If you want to take advantage of this package, email me at tessa@tessaneedham.com to arrange it! This offer is only valid until December 31, 2013. Get in quick!

]]>The whys and hows of premium WordPress themeshttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/the-whys-and-hows-of-premium-wordpress-themes/
http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/the-whys-and-hows-of-premium-wordpress-themes/#commentsWed, 23 Oct 2013 21:00:41 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=12086I have just completed a total overhaul of my personal website, changing it from a freelancer-for-hire focus to a minimalist portfolio. Even though I’m a website designer, I chose a premium theme I’d never worked with before, and used it pretty much straight out-of-the-box, doing very few customisations to it. Why? Well, let’s backtrack a

I have just completed a total overhaul of my personal website, changing it from a freelancer-for-hire focus to a minimalist portfolio. Even though I’m a website designer, I chose a premium theme I’d never worked with before, and used it pretty much straight out-of-the-box, doing very few customisations to it.

Why?

Well, let’s backtrack a bit. What is a premium theme? Why should you use one? And how can you get the most out of your theme, while still making it personal and unique?

What is a premium theme?

When setting up a new WordPress website, one of the most time-consuming things can be choosing a theme. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by choice, with different features, designs, support, and price making the themes market very competitive.

Broadly speaking, though, there are two main types of themes: free and premium (paid).

I’ve written before about why you should be careful of free themes, so if the wonderful world of WordPress themes is new to you, I suggest that you read that first.

Premium, or paid themes, are just that: themes that you need to pay for. There are many premium WordPress theme “shops” out there, for instance Studiopress, WooThemes, Elegant Themes, and so on. Each of these companies makes a living from developing and supporting their premium themes and plugins.

For my website redesign, I went with a theme shop I’d never heard of before: ThemeJug. Why didn’t I use a Studiopress theme, for example, when I have a developer license and can use any of them? Well, I’ll get into this a bit later on.

Why use a premium theme?

Because there are so many free themes out there, premium theme customers need to see that they are getting a lot of value for their money.

Why should we buy a cow, when we can get the milk for free?

Premium theme shops offer features like quality design, clean code (so your site is as fast as possible), special ways to organise content, ease of use, and helpful support. Most premium themes will have a responsive design, will integrate with popular plugins like NextGEN Gallery and WooCommerce, and will be upgraded frequently with new features, security, and compatibility updates.

For me, I would take it for granted that most of these things would be part of any premium theme. So I would base my choice on the design of the theme, as well as the support available after purchase.

I chose the ThemeJug theme Carajillo for my redesign, because I loved the minimal design. I knew that I would be able to showcase my photographic and design work in a beautiful, distraction-free environment. Before purchasing, I also made sure that the theme had all the features I would expect from a premium theme, most importantly that their support would be top-notch.

As long as you can find one that you like, using a premium theme can be a huge time-saver, as you won’t need to do as many customisations and fiddling as you might with a free theme, or one that has a subpar design.

How to get the most bang for your buck?

So what’s the best way to optimise value with a premium theme? There are a few things to take into consideration when you’re adapting the theme to your own website.

Firstly, it helps to find a theme that is pretty much exactly how you want your website to look. This will help you enormously with customisation costs. You might be able to customise it all yourself, or if you have to hire someone, it will probably be more cost-effective if there isn’t much to do.

It is much easier to customise colours, the logo, background, and fonts on a premium theme than it is to change the layout or page templates.

Look around for coupons or package deals that will help you get a discount on the price of the theme. I use websites like RetailMeNot to find any current coupons or deals. Price shouldn’t be the most important deciding factor for a particular theme, but it helps to get the lowest price possible once you’ve decided which one you’re going to use!

Once you’ve bought the theme, make the most of their available support by working through the theme documentation, and asking questions in the support forums if you need to achieve something specific with the theme.

Most theme shops are very helpful with their support, because they know that word of mouth is powerful! If you love their themes and are happy with their support, you are more likely to recommend new customers.

Before I even started my website redesign, I shopped around for coupons and used the theme demo extensively to see all the available permutations (make sure to click on every button and link!).

Once I bought it, I used the theme documentation to help set it up, and asked questions in the support forum when I got stuck with something I wanted to do.

What has been your experience with premium themes?

]]>http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/the-whys-and-hows-of-premium-wordpress-themes/feed/2How to Speed Up Your WordPress Websitehttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/how-to-speed-up-your-wordpress-website/
http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/how-to-speed-up-your-wordpress-website/#commentsTue, 17 Sep 2013 22:00:22 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=11895Loading speed is critical to the success of your website. Your website should be loading in a matter of seconds. If it’s too slow to load, you will lose visitors who won’t wait around when they could be visiting faster pages! So, let’s look at how to find out your page loading speed, identify common

Loading speed is critical to the success of your website. Your website should be loading in a matter of seconds. If it’s too slow to load, you will lose visitors who won’t wait around when they could be visiting faster pages!

So, let’s look at how to find out your page loading speed, identify common problems, and most importantly, how to fix them:

1. Test your website

The first thing to do is to find out how fast your site is actually loading. This might be different than how fast it appears to load for you, as factors such as caching, location, Internet speed, computer speed, and so on may affect its speed.

There are various testing websites out there, but some are better than others. Sometimes, even though they show that your site is loading slowly, it can be hard to decipher from these tests what the exact problem is.

Google’s tool focuses on suggesting actionable steps you can take to speed up your site. This is great, because it explains each item in plain English, and gives you a really good sense of what the problem is.

Pingdom’s tool takes a slightly different approach, giving the time it took to load each file and script on the page in a graph. This is also a valuable tool, as you can scan the list and easily see which things are taking time to load. Look at the filenames and paths of the items for clues to deduce which plugin, image, or theme item it is referring to.

2. Identify the problem

If you have run a speed test, chances are you will have a good idea of what’s slowing your website down.

The most common culprit are WordPress plugins. They might be outdated, or using a script that is having some problems. Did you recently update a plugin? Did you update the core WordPress installation but not the plugins? Maybe you haven’t updated in a while?

3. Make it better, stronger, faster

Since there are many elements that can slow down a website, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to page speed. However, here are a few actions you can take that will solve the majority of problems:

Update WordPress and plugins. Make sure you regularly update WordPress and plugins. Uninstall any plugins that you’re not using, make regular backups and keep everything up to date.

Get better hosting. Maybe your site has outgrown a shared server space, and you need to upgrade to dedicated hosting. (If this is the case, look into Synthesis.) Or maybe you’re still hosting with GoDaddy (always a bad idea), and you just need to migrate your website to a host that is optimised for WordPress.

Install a caching plugin. A plugin like W3 Total Cache (my personal favourite) will help speed up your site by keeping a cached version of it on-hand. It will also help out by minimising and compressing code files to make them more efficient.

]]>http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/how-to-speed-up-your-wordpress-website/feed/4How to upgrade your website to WordPress 3.6http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/upgrade-website-to-wordpress-3-6/
Wed, 07 Aug 2013 04:02:48 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=12002On August 1st, the latest major release of WordPress was launched. WordPress 3.6 has several cool new features: Built-in audio and video support, which means you don’t need to upload to YouTube or Vimeo first to embed video or audio in your website; Revised autosave and revisions; New menu interface, to make managing menus less confusing;

To upgrade to the new version yourself, follow these steps

Run the automatic upgrade from within the WordPress admin dashboard. At the top left-hand corner of your dashboard, next to the name of your website, you will see a little button with circular arrows and a number. Click on that to go to the upgrade screen. Then, run the WordPress core upgrade from this screen. NOTE: If you have customised a default theme without using a child theme, or customised any of the other default files, these will be written over! If this applies to you, you will need to do a manual upgrade. Once the upgrade is successful, you will be taken to a “Welcome to WordPress 3.6” page.

Check if you have plugins that have not been updated to their latest version. They will be in the same upgrade screen. Before upgrading all of them, click on the “view details” link to find out if that particular plugin has been updated to work with 3.6. If it hasn’t, consider holding off on upgrading it.

Want someone to look after the backup and upgrade for you?

If all this tech talk is totally baffling, and you want someone to do it for you, I am offering a backup and upgrade package for $50 per site. For this price, I’ll back up your whole website, then run the automatic upgrader. I will also resolve any issues that may occur with the upgrade, leaving your site ready for you to dive right back into it.

If you want to take advantage of this package, email me at tessa@tessaneedham.com to arrange it! This offer is valid until the end of August.

]]>How to see what your website looks like for different visitorshttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/how-to-see-what-your-website-looks-like-for-different-visitors/
Tue, 02 Jul 2013 22:00:47 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=11732What’s the best way to test your website on different devices? Should you buy a laptop at every size and operating system, and every smartphone and tablet on the market? Well, of course not! There are easier ways to make sure your website looks great for every visitor. Browser testing tools are a must for

Should you buy a laptop at every size and operating system, and every smartphone and tablet on the market? Well, of course not! There are easier ways to make sure your website looks great for every visitor.

Browser testing tools are a must for every website owner and designer. They allow you to input your website’s URL, then interact with your website as it would look on different browsers and operating systems. By connecting to a remote server running each operating system, they give you the ability to see any formatting problems that might come up for visitors.

For browser testing, I used to always recommend Adobe’s fabulous free product, Browserlab. However, this was recently closed down, so I’ve had to scrounge around for a viable alternative.

There are a few other options out there, for a range of different price and feature levels. I’ve tested most of the free tools, however I’ve been quite dissatisfied with them. Mostly, they only deliver screen shots of the website, so you can’t click any links or scroll down the page.

The two alternatives suggested by Adobe in the wake of Browserlab are BrowserStack and Sauce Labs. Unfortunately, neither one is completely free, however they both offer great sets of features.

1. BrowserStack

BrowserStack allows you to test a website on multiple platforms and browsers, all from your own browser. There is a free trial available, but after that it starts at $19/month, and increases depending on the number of users.

I really like the interface of BrowserStack. The design is clean and easy to navigate, and the test sites are generated quickly. However, it’s a shame there is no free option, as I’m not using the service often enough to warrant paying for it.

2. Sauce Labs

Sauce Labs also lets you test your website on various platforms and operating systems. You can use it directly in your browser, or download a desktop application (Mac only). Sauce Labs has a free option, which is perfect if you’re not using it too often. For heavier users, plans start at $12/month.

While the interface of Sauce Labs isn’t quite as user-friendly as BrowserStack, I love that they offer a free option so you can do the occasional testing and not have to pay a monthly fee.

3. Other tools

There are a couple of other testing tools worth noting here. These don’t have the full functionality of BrowserStack or Sauce Labs, but they’re worth checking out:

iPad Peek/ iPhone Peek: Free iPad and iPhone emulator. Shows you what your website looks like on these devices only.

Screenfly: Test your website at different screen resolutions for free.

What should I do if my website looks crazy on a different browser?

Sometimes, when you use these tools a problem will surface. For instance, elements might be overlapping each other, your sidebar might have jumped ship to the bottom of the page, or your fonts might look weird. Usually, these problems have been caused by an error with the code, or a plugin.

A good place to start figuring out the problem is the W3C Markup Validation Service. This web-based tool scans your website for any problems with the code, and shows errors if it uncovers anything. Sometimes, some browsers will overlook problems in the code, whereas others will make the display look all funky.

I hope this introduction to browser testing has been useful. If you’d like to delve deeper into troubleshooting WordPress websites, check out my Udemy course, Step-by-Step WordPress: Basics and Beyond. Until the end of July, I’m offering a 25% discount for the Grassroots Internet Strategy community. Simply follow the link above!

]]>Why you should be wary of spec workhttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/why-you-should-be-wary-of-spec-work/
Tue, 28 May 2013 05:08:40 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=11547Spec (speculative) work is a contentious issue in the field of design. You may have heard of it and not known what all the fuss is about. Or maybe it’s a totally new concept to you. Whichever camp you fall into, this article aims to explain the issues and give you some perspective on why

Spec (speculative) work is a contentious issue in the field of design. You may have heard of it and not known what all the fuss is about. Or maybe it’s a totally new concept to you. Whichever camp you fall into, this article aims to explain the issues and give you some perspective on why spec work can be bad for designers and businesses alike.

What is spec work?

Spec work, basically, is work that is done for free in the hopes of eventually being paid for it. There is not usually a contract made before the work is done; rather, the client chooses to use the designer after the work is done.

Often, spec work comes in the form of competitions. There are several websites that use a competition spec work model, for instance 99designs and Crowdspring. These websites allow businesses to create a competition and set a price they are willing to pay for their design. Designers then submit work for the client to choose from.

Whoever “wins” the competition gets paid for their design; the other designers do not.

Why is it bad?

I’ve worked with one too many clients who have sourced their business logo through a spec work or competition site. And without fail, the logos are ugly, the wrong size, use a hideous font, or are just generally unusable. But often, the clients love them! How could this be?

One reason is that many people don’t know much about design. One of the elements of hiring a professional designer is not only produce what the clients have in their mind, but to educate them and guide them about principles and reasons behind design decisions. The client-designer relationship is symbiotic, and great design takes time and collaboration.

Whereas 99designs and Crowdspring both feature feedback loops as part of their process, this happens after the client has already rejected the work of many other designers. In addition, designers are unable to complete proper market research for the client, so they are unable to create a design that fits with the business.

For designers, spec work is bad for the quality of work in the industry. The more of this inferior and cheap design is out there, the less value people give to great design.

Why would you invest money and time in one single designer when you can cast a wide net and see multiple ideas without paying a cent? In addition, since you produce work for free without a binding contract, you lose all rights to the work because you are not protected.

For businesses, spec work is bad for branding. Asking designers to compete for a relatively small amount of money means that you will inevitably get a subpar result. Sure, you might get lucky and find something that you really love. But that’s not the same as working and collaborating on a design together with the designer.

Come on, is it really always bad?

There may be some specific instances of when spec work is OK. As long as the client knows that they are getting something cheap and probably lower quality, or perhaps their budget will only allow this, maybe it’s OK. And besides, no one is forcing designers to take part in this work!

However, think about it in relation to a different industry. If you needed a mechanic for your car, would you ask a number of mechanics to service your car, then decide on the one you wanted to pay for it? Or if you wanted to build a house, would you ask different construction workers to each build one, then choose the one you liked best? Seems ridiculous, doesn’t it?

Why do designers still do it?

Unfortunately, there are many designers out there who will still enter these competitions. I feel that these designers are undervaluing their work. It’s a competitive industry, but the reality is that through partaking in spec work, these designers are helping to perpetuate that competitiveness.

If no designers engaged in spec work, then there simply wouldn’t be any market for it.

For designers just starting out, there are many ways other than spec work to pad your portfolio. For instance, you could do pro bono work for a charity or for the greater good in some other way. Or you could generate work for fictional clients.

What this means for you

Unfortunately, spec work doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Many people, on both sides of the work, have no problem with the ethics of asking professionals to give their time and expertise for free in order to compete with each other.

If you do use spec work, remember that you probably aren’t getting the best out of somebody, or the best design. If you’re happy with that, then by all means use it. But if you want to collaborate on effective branding that will last, consider hiring a designer based on their portfolio and your rapport with them instead.

Have you had any experience with a design competition website, or another type of spec work? What do you think?

Further reading

]]>14 great reasons to keep your web design simplehttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/keep-your-web-design-simple/
http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/keep-your-web-design-simple/#commentsMon, 22 Apr 2013 23:51:06 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=11206The most common comments from my clients about their website design is “I want it simple,” or “I like this site because it’s clean,” or “I want it really minimal,” or some variation on these. Why is minimal web design so popular? Perhaps it’s because a lot of people are already intimidated by getting a

The most common comments from my clients about their website design is “I want it simple,” or “I like this site because it’s clean,” or “I want it really minimal,” or some variation on these.

Why is minimal web design so popular?

Perhaps it’s because a lot of people are already intimidated by getting a website together, so they see a simple design as one thing they understand. Perhaps they have just always liked to visit clean websites, because the content is easy to read and the design doesn’t obstruct the writing.

Perhaps they’re worried about being listed in a “most ugly websites of 2013” article.

Websites shouldn’t be minimal just for the sake of being minimal. But there are lots of reasons why it’s a good idea. Here are just a few.

Simple websites…

1. Don’t make people think

Or guess. Or hunt for the meaning. Or have to use a dictionary to understand what it is that you actually do.

For me, this is one of the most important aspects of having a clean, minimal website. Awhile ago, our very own Melinda introduced me to the book “Don’t Make Me Think” by Steven Krug. This book is essential reading for anyone who has a website, as it clearly outlines the important usability conventions in web design. If you make people think too much about what they need to click on, you will lose them. I hear what you’re saying: rules are meant to be broken! Well, yes, it’s OK to break some rules, but you really need to know what those rules are before you can break them!

2. Showcase content

If you read anything about creating content for the web, you will have come across the phrase “content is king.” Your content might be the written word, a product you’re selling, your company logo or a photograph. While everyone wants a nice-looking website, if your content isn’t good then people won’t stick around. Your website’s design should look great, but a more important consideration is that it supports the content well. Otherwise it’s just fluff.

Noon Solar is a great example of how an online store can use simplicity to showcase products.

3. Are timeless

Just like classic furniture design, fashion design or architecture, simple websites hold up to the test of time. I remember the first website I ever created. Like many people’s at the time, it was on Geocities. This was the age of “more is more,” as the web was still pretty new and everyone was putting everything they could on their site. This meant textured backgrounds, tables, multicoloured text, different font sizes and weights, animated gifs, styled mouse pointers and pop-ups galore. These gimmicks were like the shoulder pads of web design: very popular at the time, but looking back we wonder why we didn’t notice when our taste left the building.

4. Are tools for learning

Clean websites are easier to deconstruct than fussy, decorative ones. This is great for those who are learning how websites are put together, as the modules that make up a site are often more clearly designed. Now, as a web designer it might not be your primary goal to make your site easy to pull apart, but it is certainly a benefit for students!

5. Are accessible

Did you know that there are people using the Internet who can’t see very well, or at all? They might be viewing your site in inverse colours, with bigger text, on a special device, or they might even get the content read aloud to them by special software. Don’t leave them out! The simpler your site is, the easier it will be for everyone to be able to access your site.

6. Are scanned more easily

When was the last time you read every single word on a website? Yep, I didn’t think so. Web visitors scan your site just as they scan the newspaper, picking up headlines and keywords to see what they want to read more. Check out some website heat maps to get a better idea of how people scan online content, and make your site clean and easy to scan – your visitors will thank you for it.

The software company Sofa‘s website is easy to scan. You can see a lot about the company at a glance.

7. Have less, but say more

Less is more. We’ve heard it related to many different things, and the Internet is no exception (tell that to Geocities!). Think about making a statement with the simplicity of your site. You could even make it a game to experiment with removing things from your design. How much can you strip away and still retain functionality?

8. Leave room for imagination

You want visitors to your website to contribute in the knowledge-making in some way, not to just passively consume. Minimal, clean web designs leave room for the visitor’s imagination, to feel free to explore at their own pace and not feel like they’re being “sold to.”

9. Are fast

We are an impatient lot, and the web is bursting at the seams with content. So how do we process it all? Like changing channels on a television, most web surfers bounce from site to site, taking in whatever they need before heading off to the next one. So what if yours is slow to load, because it’s bloated with graphics, animations and other bells and whistles? Well, unsurprisingly, people aren’t very likely to have the patience to stick with it.

10. Bring some drama

With empty space and design built on a grid, minimal websites often pack a dramatic punch. One central concept or graphic can take centre stage, and the eye is drawn to this one idea. Without a lot of conflicting messages and ads and links competing for the visitor’s attention, simple websites can give their content more drama by directing the user experience.

Chama Inc‘s site dramatically features their logo and a stimulating headline.

11. Are easier to change

OK, so you’ve just spent all this time and money on a new design. And now you want me to change it? Well, not necessarily, but one of the beautiful things about the web is that it’s dynamic. A change in design keeps things fresh, keeps people engaged and keeps up with the times. You can change your website as often as you like. But with a more complicated design, you might find it more time-consuming and off-putting to change things around. So keep it simple, and the change will flow.

12. Help to create thoughtful architecture

When a site is minimal, it’s easier to be straightforward with the way information is structured on the site. Remember, you don’t want to make people think too hard about how to get to the information they want, so structure your site in a logical and clear way. Hold off on the tricks: you might think they’re cool, but to the average visitor they are annoying and counterproductive.

13. Aren’t easy

It’s a myth that simple, minimal and clean designs are always easier to create. It’s actually a challenge to distil your design and your ideas down to just a few words of text and a punchy graphic. Good design is edited design. Your favourite minimal website may well have been a lot more cluttered until it was edited and restrained down to its current form.

14. Are inspiring

I’m always inspired when I see a minimal, clean website that does just what it’s supposed to do – and nothing more. It’s fresh, clean and exhilarating, unlike the bogged-down feeling of visiting a site with loads of flashy ads, animations and buttons everywhere.

So, keep all these reasons in mind when you are working on your next (restrained, minimal) web design, and simplicity will be a piece of cake (pop)!

]]>http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/keep-your-web-design-simple/feed/4Think a free WordPress theme is too good to be true? It probably is.http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/free-wordpress-theme/
http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/free-wordpress-theme/#commentsWed, 27 Feb 2013 04:39:47 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=10524Every new owner of a WordPress.org website is giddy with excitement. The thrill of a new business, a new blog, a redesign or refresh is palpable. And it all seems so easy and cheap – just get your discount hosting, install WordPress with a couple of clicks, grab a free theme and BLAMMO! Instant website!

Every new owner of a WordPress.org website is giddy with excitement. The thrill of a new business, a new blog, a redesign or refresh is palpable. And it all seems so easy and cheap – just get your discount hosting, install WordPress with a couple of clicks, grab a free theme and BLAMMO! Instant website!

Until… Uh oh.

You can’t figure out how to change the font colour on your site. You ask a developer and they charge you an arm and a leg, saying that your theme code is all over the place. You try to update WordPress and everything goes haywire. You can’t ask the theme developer for help, because why would they bother supporting a free theme?

You are totally excited when your website gets to page one in Google, but for some reason there is a spammy meta description being used, rather than the one you spend hours handcrafting while watching SEO tutorials. Then your site gets hacked and you lose months of blog posts before you pack it all in and go back to your day job.

Ok, maybe I got a little carried away with the doomsday scenario there! You would have to be pretty unlucky to have all of that happen to you. But I have seen every one of these. Would you want just one to happen to you?

I didn’t think so.

But why be so wary of free themes?

They may contain malicious code, such as spammy links, that is impossible to remove. I’ve put this at the top of the list because really it should be the only reason you need. Even if you can’t see anything dodgy on your site, can you really be sure? Is your knowledge of PHP, HTML and CSS so solid that you wouldn’t let anything untoward slip by?

They will have only minimal support from the theme developer. If you were a developer and you created various paid and free themes, who would you rather spend time helping? The customers who purchased a theme, or the ones who downloaded one for free?

They will usually have minimal features. See point 2. If you were going to spend time adding extra features to a theme, would it be one that you can charge money for, or one that you’re giving away for free?

So where is a good place to find a theme?

I’m not saying that ALL free WordPress themes are inherently bad.

You can generally find good, safe free themes on the WordPress.org theme repository, although the selection of designs can be quite limited. Some reputable theme shops release a selection of free themes, however they will not normally support these to the same extent as their premium counterparts. But if you like a free theme from one of these places, by all means try it out to get the hang of it before making a commitment.

The best way to get around the potential problems of free themes is to purchase a ‘premium’ WordPress theme from a reputable theme shop like StudioPress or WooThemes (there are many others, but these are the ones I’ve used and recommend). You should expect these themes to cost around $50-$80. I understand, sometimes this feels like a lot of upfront outlay for a fledgling business. But I promise, it will be worth it in the long term!

Have you had any bad (or good!) experiences with free themes?

]]>http://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/free-wordpress-theme/feed/6How to optimise your WordPress website for mobile visitorshttp://grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/optimise-wordpress-website-mobile-visitors/
Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:08:49 +0000http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/?p=9593Have you looked at your website on a smartphone lately? A tablet? Chances are, if you have one of these devices, you have noticed that some websites look great on them, and some look… well, tiny. So how can you ensure that your website looks great for all visitors, and more importantly, gives them the

Have you looked at your website on a smartphone lately? A tablet? Chances are, if you have one of these devices, you have noticed that some websites look great on them, and some look… well, tiny.

So how can you ensure that your website looks great for all visitors, and more importantly, gives them the information they need at the touch of a finger?

This article outlines some of the ways you can make your site mobile friendly, and how to go about doing it. It doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg, but it will require some strategising on your part.

Why do I need a mobile website?

Basically, you need a mobile site because there are a growing number of mobile Internet devices in the marketplace, and more people are accessing the web from these small-screen gadgets than ever before.

It’s my opinion that everyone needs a mobile site. But the way you create this will depend on the nature of your visitors.

Why would someone visit my website from a mobile device?

The most important question to ask yourself first is: “Why are mobile visitors browsing my site?”

If you’re a restaurant, perhaps they will be looking to make a reservation, or for a map to find you when they’re already in the car. If you have a blog, mobile visitors might want to read your articles, perhaps while they’re on the train or sitting on the couch. If you’re a photographer, mobile visitors will likely want to see a sampling of your best work, perhaps with the ability to contact you easily.

Investigating the reason for mobile traffic to your site will be a huge help when it comes to deciding what type of mobile website you need.

Types of mobile websites

There are a few ways you can mobilise your WordPress website:

Create a brand-new mobile version

Use a plugin

Use a responsive theme

I’ll cover the reasons for using each of these, and their pros and cons, in the sections below.

1. Creating a brand-new mobile version of your website

One option you have is to make a brand-new version of your website that will only be visible to visitors using smartphones and/or tablets. When people navigate to your site, the site will detect that they are using a mobile device and will switch to the mobile version.

There are many examples of this around. For instance, try going to your banking website on your smartphone and see how the information is presented differently. Often the domain name of a mobile website will have an “m” in front of it or after it, for instance m.domain.com.au. Another example of situation where a mobile website may be the best option is an eCommerce website, where customers are shopping online and may need a very different interface for shopping on their smartphone.

Creating a separate mobile website is by far the most expensive option here, so you should really consider how important it will be to your business. Not only is it expensive, but also if you change anything on your website, you will also need to make that change on the mobile website, making it more tricky to maintain. This is the most major downside to this option.

However, for some businesses, making a separate mobile website will be the way to go. If a mobile version of your website would have a distinctly different purpose than the normal desktop version, you could even consider building an app!

If you’re interested in this option, you might want to check out these services for creating mobile websites:

The benefit of using a plugin like this is the ease of use – all you need to do is install and activate a plugin, and your site will immediately be more accessible for mobile visitors. However, the downside of this is that you will lose much of the customisation you’ve done on your website. A new theme will be applied, which may mean that some of the functionality of your website will be lost.

A mobile plugin is the quickest, easiest and cheapest option to make your site mobile friendly. It does have its downsides, however for some users it may be all that is needed to create a satisfactory experience for mobile visitors.

3. Using a responsive theme

The third option is to choose a responsive theme for your WordPress site, or modify your existing theme to be responsive. I’ve written an entire article about responsive design, but in a nutshell, it means that your WordPress theme will adapt its elements to fit into to the “viewport” (screen) that it’s being viewed on. You can see this in action on your computer, by resizing the window of a website to watch how it responds.

My personal preference when creating a mobile website is to use responsive design. In fact, my website is responsive, so head over there now if you’d like to see it in action.

The great thing about responsive design is that it doesn’t matter which device you’re viewing the website on, it will always adapt to be the optimal configuration. For most sites, especially blogs, this is the best option to choose. It doesn’t require updating several websites at once, and you have a lot of control over how it looks. However, if you don’t choose a ready-made responsive design, you will need a developer to “retrofit” your site to be responsive.

I use and highly recommend StudioPress, and many of their themes are responsive out of the box. If you’d like to use a StudioPress theme, or are already using one, get in touch! I can help you customise it to be mobile responsive.

So as you can see, you have a few options when making your site mobile-friendly. The most important place to start is to think about why people will be visiting on a mobile device. From there, you can decide which option is right for you.